Esperanto Fonda is open on 1st Street

Avenue C mainstay Esperanto has opened its satellite location at 58 E. First St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Esperanto Fonda, which has room for some 30 diners, also offers food to go. Per a recent preview at DNAinfo:

Esperanto Fonda will allow patrons to grab to-go-friendly items such as tacos, empanadas, burritos, and a Cubano sandwich with roasted pork loin, ham, melted Swiss cheese and mojo sauce.

The cocktail menu includes the Caipirinha, Mojitos and Brazilian Sangria. (Espernato Fonda's food or drink menus aren't online just yet.)

The previous tenant, BARA, a French/Japanese bar-restaurant, closed after service on June 11.

Report: Esperanto opening a 2nd East Village location

Last week we reported that the former BARA space on East First Street was undergoing renovations ... and reopening as a Latin-American restaurant. A tipster who lives on the block between First Avenue and Second Avenue believed the the owner of BARA was behind the new venture.

Turns out that this will be a second outpost for Esperanto ... the mainstay on Avenue C and Ninth Street is expanding with the opening of Esperanto Fonda, according to the Post.

Per the paper: "The Brazilian-inspired eatery is the latest from Dimitri Vlahakis, owner of Alice’s Arbor, La Gamelle and Summit Bar."

The menu will include empanadas with beef, shrimp and veggies ... as well as tacos, burritos and an Esperanto Bowl with rice, beans, pico de gallo, guacamole and meat.

No word on an opening date.

BARA, a French/Japanese bar-restaurant, closed after service on June 11.

[Updated] Reader report: Former BARA space will serve Latin-American fare on East 1st Street

An East First Street tipster notes work in recent days at the former BARA space between First Avenue and Second Avenue...



The in-progress signage on the doors shows offerings such as empanadas, tacos and burritos — to dine in, take out or delivery ...and apparently the BARA team is behind the new venture, per the tipster.

BARA, a French/Japanese bar-restaurant that we happened to really like, closed after service on June 11. A sign on the door read, "BARA is permanently closed. Bummer, right?"

Updated 7/25

Turns out this will be a second outpost for Esperanto ... the mainstay on Avenue C and Ninth Street is expanding with the opening of Esperanto Fonda here, the Post reports.

Bummer, BARA has closed on East 1st Street

BARA, a French/Japanese bar-restaurant at 58 E. First St., closed after service on June 11.

A sign on the door here between First Avenue and Second Avenue reads, "BARA is permanently closed. Bummer, right?"



The restaurant opened in December 2014 ... serving a menu created by Momofuku vet Ian Alvarez.

At a friend's suggestion, I tried BARA and liked it, dining here several times. (I've never eaten at any of the Momofuku places, for the record.) The BARA staff was low-key and friendly, and they played music by Can, Television and Richard Hell & the Voidoids on evenings I was there.

It was a good early-evening adult spot after seeing a movie at the nearby Anthology Film Archives or Sunshine Cinema... in part because it wasn't really that busy. (Meanwhile, people were in line for a table at Prune a few doors away.)

The previous establishment here, Prima, closed in August 2014 after nearly three years. In a refreshingly honest assessment, Prima's owners said that they closed because they just weren't busy enough.

Before Prima, the space housed the Thai restaurant The Elephant for 17 years).

Casual French-American cafe in the works for 110 St. Mark's Place

Paprika, which specialized in Northern Italian cuisine, quietly closed back in the spring at 110 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Applicants who plan on opening a casual French-American cafe will appear before CB3's SLA committee on Monday. They are seeking a beer-wine license…



The applicants include Hamid Rashidzada of the Summit Bar on Avenue C and most recently Bara on First Avenue, and chef David Malbequi, who worked for Daniel Boulud, according to paperwork (PDF!) on file ahead of the meeting at the CB3 website.

The still-unnamed cafe will serve American-French comfort food with daily lunch service from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The configuration shows 14 tables seating 58 people and a bar with 4-6 seats.

The July SLA committee meeting is Monday at the CB3 office, 59 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

BARA debuts on East 1st Street

BARA, a French/Japanese restaurant, opened last night at 58 E. First St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

As we first reported last month, BARA's menu is from Momofuku vet Ian Alvarez.

You can hit their Twitter account for more info. (They just have a placeholder website for now.)

Prima closed in August after nearly three years in this location. In a refreshingly honest assessment, Prima's owners said that they closed because they just weren't busy enough.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Momofuku-French Louie vets opening BARA on East 1st Street

Momofuku-French Louie vets opening BARA on East 1st Street

A new restaurant is in the works for the former Prima space at 58 E. First St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.



Here are details via the BARA Twitter account:

BARA is a new French/Japanese tavern being opened in December by chef Ian Alvarez with cocktails and drinks from Kyle Storm.

And here is a draft copy of their menu via Instagram:



Alvarez, a former sous chef at Momofuku, most recently worked with Storm at French Louie in Brooklyn.

Prima closed in August after nearly three years on the block. In a refreshingly honest assessment, Prima owners said that they closed because they just weren't busy enough.